•  EXLL1BRIS  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


JOHN  HENRY  NASH  LIBRARY 


<§>  SAN  FRANCISCO  <$> 

PRESENTED  TO  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

ROBERT  GORDON  SPROUL,  PRESIDENT. 
•»    BY"  * 


MR.ANDMRS.MILTON  S.RAY 
CECILY,  VIRGINIA  AND  ROSALYN  RAY 


RAY  OIL  BURNER  COMPANY 


Greetings  to 


THE       HAPPY      TREE 


:NC 

IN  Al 

OTHER 

TIME 


the  Spirit  of  All  Things  planted  a  tiny 
seed.  Deep  down  in  the  darkness,  in 
the  close  embrace  of  the  ground,  it  lay 
for  long,  long  days.  Mother  Earth  cra- 
dled it,  the  Rains  bathed  it,  the  Winds 
lulled  it  to  rest,  and  the  Sun's  rays  ani- 
mated it  until  its  consciousness  of  being 
became  desire  of  becoming — of  becom- 
ing more  than  it  had  been;  and  the  soul 
of  a  tree,  new-born,  pushed  forward  and 
upward,  yearning  for  the  light. 


THE         STORY         OF 

Soon  the  tree  had  pierced  through 
the  ground  and  breathed  the  light  of 
day.  How  happy  it  was !  What  more 
could  it  desire?  Now  it  could  know  all 
the  beauty  around  it;  the  graces  of  flow- 
ers and  trees,  the  glories  of  mountains 
and  rivers;  and  it  was  content.  But 
soon  a  new  vision  presented  itself,  a 
certainty  of  further  accomplishment,  a 
knowledge  that  it  might  grow  as  great 
and  as  beautiful  as  those  other  trees. 
So  ever  on  and  up  it  pushed,  happy  and 
content  in  being  what  it  was  and  just 
growing  toward  the  accomplishment  of 
its  destiny. 

Day  by  day,  month  by  month,  it 
grew  stronger  and  larger  and,  because 
its  desire  to  be  was  great,  and  because 
it  was  filled  with  the  peace  of  being  one 


THE 

H  Af  P  Y 

TiR  E  E 

with  all  the  world,  it  grew  more  beau- 
tiful as  well.  Its  branches  rounded  out, 
it  became  green  of  a  deeper  and  richer 
shade  than  those  about  it.  It  sang  now 
with  the  wind  and  the  water,  the  sun 
and  the  snow,  in  all  times  and  seasons, 
for  it  was  ever  green.  Never  could  the 
elements  mar  what  that  beautiful  soul 
had  put  forth. 

After  many  years  had  gone  by  and 
the  tree  had  attained  its  full  stature  and 
grace,  a  traveler,  passing  that  way  to 
gather  trees  for  brightening  the  Christ- 
mas of  the  world,  spied  the  rich  beauty 
of  The  Happy  Tree.  What  more  fitting 
than  it  could  be  chosen  as  a  bearer  of 
the  loving  wishes  and  greetings  of  man- 
kind? For  that  purpose  it  gladly  left  its 
familiar  surroundings  at  the  call  of  the 


THE         STORY         OF 

traveler's  axe,  giving  itself  and  all  its 
possibilities  to  the  service  of  Humanity. 
Soon,  in  a  splendid  room  it  stood, 
straight  and  rounded  out  and  beautiful, 
giving  off  its  song  of  happiness,  the 
pure  fragrance  of  mountain  fastnesses. 
Gentle  hands  and  strong  set  gleaming 
lights  among  its  branches,  for  symbols 
of  that  Love  which  is  ever  shining  forth, 
and  bright  balls  of  many  colors  were 
added  to  represent  the  wishes  of  man- 
kind. These,  catching  the  gleam  of 
Love-light  upon  them,  reflected  it  in  all 
directions,  so  that  not  only  the  creator 
and  recipient  of  that  wish,  but  everyone 
else,  too,  might  be  gladdened  by  the 
glow  of  fulfillment.  Then  the  tree  was 
surrounded  by  folk  of  brave  hearts  and 
kindly  spirit,  and  it  heard  a  voice  say : 


THE       HAPPY       TREE 


"O  Tree!  You  stand  here,  not  only 
to  bear  the  wishes  of  those  here  pres- 
ent, each  to  each,  but  also  as  a  symbol 
that  every  good  wish  spreads  its  light 
throughout  the  world,  bringing  happi- 
ness to  all  mankind  and  singing  of  the 
power  of  Love." 

Then  The  Happy  Tree  knew  Joy. 


This  Story  of  The  Happy  Tree  has  been 
devised  for  their  friends  by  the  Ransoms, 
Will,  Helen,  and  Frances  Rose,  in  the  Christ- 
mastide  of  Nineteen  Hundred  Twenty-one, 
and  printed  by  Will  Ransom  at  his  private 
press. 


